Despite all the furore, we feel it is worth keeping in mind that this isn't the first controversial thing a government has ever done. Just so Lansley doesn't feel alone, we've put together a list of other moments when governments had to deal with perhaps much greater public opposition.

-

1

of

4

Community Charge Chaos

Margaret Thatcher's decision to impose a "community charge" in her third term as Prime Minister provoked quite a storm of opposition among the public.
The charge, commonly known as the "poll tax", was a flat-rate local tax. Critics argued that it didn't take account of people's ability to pay and was an attack aimed at the working class.
The opposition made itself heard - with a series of disturbances and marches - that culminated in a demonstration on Saturday 31st March 1990.
The demonstration quickly turned violent as police struggled to combat protesters and stop them from rampaging.